Always There
by Yada99Schleich
Summary: John gets a little worked up following a disastrous rescue, which causes Scott and Virgil to visit him on Thunderbird 5 for a bit. Plenty of upset John and smother-brothers. Thanks to Charlee for the edit :)


**A/N**  
**Another story? In less than a week?! Yes, it's true.**  
**Just a little warning – upset John and comforting brothers alert. Sadly I do not own Thunderbirds. Please enjoy!  
**

* * *

Under normal circumstances the room would be too quiet, but as it is, we're all drawing strength from each other's silence. It's always bad when even Gordon stops yacking and that only usually happens after a bad rescue. Or in this case, a diabolical one.  
I let my fingers glide over the ivory keys, creating a melody that reminds me of a bird. Of that little girl and she slipped from my grasp. Behind me Scott is tapping restlessly. The remaining adrenaline stops him from relaxing, the guilt and pain from doing anything. Gordon meanders into the room in a distracted manner. If Dad had an issue that he was tracking so much water from the pool into the house he doesn't say anything to our resident fish. Alan's still at school thank goodness; he'd be killing himself over how we are acting right now. But our actions are to be expected after the events of today.  
We've just finished our debrief, but Dad hasn't closed the communication with John - he's studying our quiet brother, who has tried to avoid talking to any of us for the last few hours. I don't think he's worked out that we're still watching him. His usually perfect hair is sticking up in so many different directions that it's clear his hasn't stopped running his hands through it. His face is red and slightly puffy, although he did make an effort to clean himself up before the debrief.  
As we watch he leans forward and flicks a switch, playing a recording of the conversation he had with the stricken ship before it sank.

_"International Rescue please respond, this is the cruise ship Albatross."  
"Go ahead Albatross."  
"International Rescue we are in desperate need of your services. 142 miles north-east off the coast of Florida, we are rapidly sinking and have 400 passengers on board. Rescue cre-"  
"Albatross" And audible sigh followed the hitch in John's voice "Albatross, we have received a call from Switzerland requesting assistance with an avalanche. 2500 people."  
_  
I let my hands stop their movement and the noise from my beloved piano ceases. A lone tear trickles down my older brother's cheek as he listens to the  
recording again, as he relives the events of the rescue.  
_  
"Albatross I'm very sorry."  
"Understood. Albatross out."_

No less than 40 minutes later John gave us the report that the Albatross had sunk and taken all of the rescue crews with it. All those passengers and the very people trying to help them. Gone. And just to make matters worse the avalanche had been a complete mess. In fact, we managed to get just under 350 people out. John once again leans forward to flick another switch, cutting off the recording between him and the Albatross and starting up a news report. As he does so he swivels the chair so he is almost facing us.  
_  
"Lisa, what's the situation?"  
"We are told that the Albatross is now listing at a 35 degree angle and is in danger of sinking at any moment. Rescue crews are doing their best but we are all awaiting the arrival of International Rescue."  
"And this call was sent out how long ago?"  
"The distress call was sent out around 48 minutes ago and we have heard nothing from them."  
"Actually, here in the studio there has been some speculation as to where the Thunderbirds are, and it appears that an avalanche in Switzerland had a higher priority than the sinking Albatross."_

At these words I take a glance around the room at my family's reactions. Dad looks livid, I can reason with him since the news team didn't give any details on the avalanche such as why we went there rather than to the Albatross.  
_  
"Incredible really that the Thunderbirds (who are always there I might add) don't turn up to a rescue when so many people are at risk of losing their lives"_

The tinkle of shattering glass causes me to turn my head away from the vid-screen. Scott is shaking as he looks at what John's just done. Dark red streaks of blood stand out against his pale skin, a testimony to spending so much time in space. Gordon seems to have blanked out as he stares at John whilst Scott is looking at him with worry clouding in his eyes. Even so, he's still trying to hide it from us. Big brother instincts tell him to get John to focus on him until he calms down, field commander tells him to hide his fears and let John deal with his grief. As his piercing blue eyes lock onto my own burnt-honey ones I realise that we both need to see John for ourselves – to confirm that he's okay. I turn back to the vid-screen only to see John hugging his knees as sobs wrack his body.

"I'm so s-sorry. But we can't always be there – no matter what the press say."

None of us can comprehend how he's feeling right now. After all, we don't sit on 5, tell people that International Rescue can't get to them and that therefore they'll have to manage by themselves. And yet John did just that today. Told some people that we couldn't help them – we had other priorities. It's just one of the issues with being a small group of 3, 4 with Dad and 5 _if _Alan joins us.

"Please f-forgive me…the avalanche. I didn't want to make that call," he sniffles, "Why did I have to be the one to tell them? WHY?!"

That's it. I spring off the sofa and start running for the silos. I know instinctively that Scott has followed me and heavy footfalls behind indicate that Gordon has pursued us as well. To be perfectly honest, I don't care if Dad has an issue with us going. I'm sure we can get Gordon to have a go at hacking the lockdown codes.  
_We really shouldn't encourage that though…_  
I silence my thoughts by thinking of John and how much he's beating himself up over it all. I slide quickly into the co-pilot's seat knowing that Scott would never let me pilot 3 when he's around. Always trying to be in the lead – typical Scott. Outside Gordon is locked in a stand-off with Scott.

"Why do I have to stay here? What if John wants me there?"  
"Gordon you know full well that John would prefer anybody to you being there. Therefore, both Virgil and I are going and if you come along he may feel pressured or crowded,"  
Little bit harsh on Scott's part there. I raise my head from the control panel, "Gords."  
"Yeah?" he sticks his head through the door so he can glare at me.  
"You know Alan is coming back today right?"  
He interrupts me in his typical style before I can elaborate "Al's coming back?!"  
"Yes. But due to the rescue Lady P is picking him up. Now, how do you think he'll react if we're all gone when he arrives, hmm?"  
"We could turn it into a supply run…?"  
Now Scott dives in, "Apart from the fact that a supply run only needs 2 people, 3 if you count John"

It's hard not to laugh at the childish pout that our red-headed brother plasters on his face; with everything that's happened though my laughter is quelled as I think of John beating himself up over it all. I turn back to the pre-flight checks as Scott takes his place next to me. Having requested clearance from Brains, I inform Scott that we can leave.

The flight to 5 is quiet, leaving me and Scott to mull over our thoughts. I don't know what's inside my older brother's head and to be perfectly honest, judging by how rattled he is, I don't want to know. My own thoughts are dominated by that small girl.  
I remember turning to find her stood in the middle of the room. A wild look in her eyes, I could tell she'd been sheltering in here for a while. So I followed and helped her family but then came her turn. I'd just got her harnessed up when the walls gave way on us and we were covered by a wall of white. Gordon dragged her out first but she'd hit her head on something – something very solid that had left an awful gash in her head and probably caused her to bleed to death in agony. Even with the shock and my own dizziness I could tell there was nothing we could do. No way we could help her. I cringed at the memory of it.  
Scott's probably thinking about that too. Only, about me and how they may have lost me. Watching as I descended through the roof of a house, then trying not to scream in horror when the walls gave way. Said older brother taps my arm lightly so that I know we're almost there and I suddenly realise something.

"What if John doesn't give us permission to dock?"  
Scott pales "We'll cross that bridge when it comes to it. If it comes to it."  
I simply nod, lost in my thoughts again and unable to form a proper sentence.  
As it turns out, John does give us permission to dock. Maybe it has something to do with Scott putting on his best exhausted voice and simply stating that we have a supply run for him. I step out of my seat carefully, before noticing that Scott has a microwave pizza in his arms. The stuff is disgusting (even John who lives on ration meals for most of the year says that) so I have no idea why on earth, sorry space, Scott would have brought one with him.  
The airlock hisses open but we just stand looking at each other, giving a final nod before stepping on board Thunderbird 5. John doesn't turn as we approach but instead continues watching the news report again. Again. Really John?  
If the avalanche rescue was bad for us I can only imagine what was running through Johns head as he watched us and the events unfolding on the ground. He had to make the decision for us to go to the avalanche instead of the stricken Albatross. For us to relive the memories of Mom's death in the hope that we could help 2500 people instead of 400. Well it didn't work out and now John is beating himself up because we could have helped an additional 50 people if we'd gone to help the Albatross instead.

"We could have done it…gone to the Albatross and then to the avalanche."  
"Johnny, that wouldn't have worked because of the secondary avalanche and the instability of the buildings there. It's just one of those calls that come with the job."  
That's when he turns to face me. Red swollen eyes, croaky voice and messed up hair make me wonder just how long this has been bothering him. The rescue was over 8 hours ago. His eyes dart toward the pizza box as Scott places it on the nearest free surface – an impressive feat given the number of buttons, switches and monitors that make up 5's control deck.  
"Pizza? Microwave pizza?"  
"Yup, just for you."  
"Thought you could use something to cheer you up."

For the first time I get to look into his eyes. They have a sort of empty, vacant look, as though he's there but not there at the same time. His body, yep, definitely there. But his mind? Well that's another matter altogether. Judging by the haunted expression on his face he's going to be affected for quite some time by this whole ordeal. Scott takes another step forward before wordlessly embracing the space monitor. At first, John sits awkwardly, then he loses any control he had on his emotions.  
"We could h-have saved them Scotty."  
John rests his head on Scott's shoulder, breathing rapidly.  
"Shh-shh. John it's okay. You didn't know it would be so dangerous," Scott kept his voice low as he ran his hands through John's hair – a habit carried from when we were younger.  
"But we're supposed to be the ones who are always there when we're needed."  
"I know, I know. Shh."

We just sit and enjoy each other's company, drawing strength from it.  
"You guys should probably head back before Dad kills you."  
I clear my throat somewhat nervously "Actually, I was gonna ask if you wanted me to cover up here for a bit and you can head back Earth-side for a bit."  
He shakes his head stubbornly, "If I can't cope here how would I cope on a rescue?"  
Without warning he sits up and grabs a tissue out of the box.  
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he offers an almost-smile "I know where I can find you if I need to talk."  
"Sure Johnny. We're always there."  
Always watching, always protecting. We may not be there for everybody always but we'll be there for somebody at all times. Always there for each other and almost always there for the rest of the world.  
"And we always will be there."  
"Where?" I catch the joking tone  
"Everywhere."  
Always there, somewhere, for someone.

* * *

**A/N**  
**How'd I do? I hope you enjoyed this adn just as a little laugh before you leave I'll give you what my trusted editor Charlee thought. So, where I wrote "Embraced the space monitor" she got all concerned like "please tell me it's John...cause it gets awkward otherwise" and now she wants me to write a story where Scott falls in love with a computer. I'm not too sure.**  
**Anyway enjoy the rest of you day/night/time spent online or whatever.**

**~Yada**


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